top of page
  • Black Facebook Icon
  • Black YouTube Icon
  • Black Instagram Icon
  • Black Pinterest Icon
Pink Sugar
            TV/Movies
Pretty Little Liars

  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 1.07 Pounds

  • Director ‏ : ‎ Various

  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ DVD, NTSC

  • Release date ‏ : ‎ July 25, 2017

  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Various

  • Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ English

  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, French, Spanish

  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Studio Distribution Services

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01LTHO0NK

  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 36

  • Best Sellers Rank: #18,493 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV) 

pretty.jpeg

Summary

​

Pretty Little Liars is a mystery series about four teenage friends, Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hanna, who are tormented by a mysterious, anonymous figure named "A" after their clique leader, Alison DiLaurentis, disappears. "A" threatens to reveal the friends' secrets—both old and new as they work to uncover the identity of the blackmailer and solve the mystery of Alison's disappearance.Over the course of the series, the identity of "A" is revealed to be a series of people, including Mona Vanderwaal and Charlotte DiLaurentis (also known as CeCe Drake).  

Critical Evaluation

​The show is effective at building suspense with cliffhangers and mysteries, which keeps audiences engaged and guessing about the identity of "A".  Many will continued to watch the show because I was invested in the characters, even if they grew disillusioned with the plot. The use of "breadcrumbs" to spark fan theories and a consistent pattern of cliffhangers made the show a topic of frequent discussion and speculation. Despite the drama, some storylines highlighted the importance of strong friendships and family relationships. 

​The mystery of "A" became so complex that it created plot holes and required intense dedication from fans, leading to a lack of coherence. To stretch out the mystery, the show included many filler storylines that were unnecessary and made the plot feel drawn out. The show featured inappropriate relationships, such as a teacher and student, and a general tendency to normalize or downplay negative behaviors like manipulation, theft, and affairs. The main characters didn't seem to evolve significantly over the course of the series, while only a few supporting characters received notable development. The characters were supposed to be in high school but often behaved more like adults, and the age gap in some relationships was problematic. 

The director

​There is no single director for Pretty Little Liars; rather, numerous directors worked on the show throughout its run, with Norman Buckley directing the most episodes (23). Other key directors include Joseph Dougherty, who was also a writer and producer, and I. Marlene King, who was the creator, executive producer, and showrunner, but also directed some episodes. For the spin-off series like Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa was responsible for the overall direction and vision. 

norman.jpeg
Norman Buckley

Viewers Annotation

​The show's complex mysteries and frequent cliffhangers actively encouraged viewers to become "sleuths," developing a vibrant online community dedicated to guessing the identity of the anonymous blackmailer known as "A".

​

Genre

​Teen drama, Horror, Romance, Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Soap opera

​

Show Talking Idea

​Discuss the show's central theme of the girls' friendship and how their bond helped them survive throughout the series.

​

Challenge Issue

Teacher-student relationship,Mental health,Hyper-femininity

Challenge Issue Resources:

    • Collection Development Policy

    • FAQs for library employees about answering questions about youth and access to library resources

    • Contact info for ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF)

    • Active listening skills – library employees will listen and respond without judgment. They will ensure that the complainant is heard and will attempt to respond to the complaint fully. If the complainant is not satisfied, he or she will be directed to fill out and submit a Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources.

    • List of awards and reviews for the materials

    • If available, info on material from https://www.teachingbooks.net

    • Library Bill of Rights on Intellectual Freedom

    • Library Bill of Rights Interpretations (designed by Intellectual Freedom Committee)

    • Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy (JIFP) - includes substantive essays, peer-reviewed articles, book reviews, legal briefs, and opinion pieces.

    • Intellectual Freedom Manual - day-to-day guidance on maintaining free and equal access to information for all people, including:

      • 34 ALA policy statements and documents, 17 new or updated for this edition, addressing patron behavior, internet use, copyright, exhibits and use of meeting spaces

      • At-a-glance lists summarizing key issues such as access, challenges and censorship, access by minors to controversial materials, and advocacy

      • Explanations of legal points in clear, easy-to-understand language, alongside case citations

      • Numerous checklists to help readers stay organized

    • Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources

    • Guidelines for Reconsideration Committee

    • Process of the reconsideration along with timeline and how the complainant will be informed of the outcome

next.jpeg
Degrassi The Next Generation

  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 0.7 x 5.4 inches; 11.2 ounces

  • Director ‏ : ‎ Phil Earnshaw, Stefan Scain

  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Box set, Color, Multiple Formats, NTSC

  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 11 hours and 2 minutes

  • Release date ‏ : ‎ May 25, 2010

  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Lauren Collins, Miriam McDonald, Shane Kippel, Shenae Grimes, Stefan Brogren

  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Echo Bridge Home Entertainment

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0035G5IS0

  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 4

  • Best Sellers Rank: #127,282 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV) 

    • #91,021 in DVD

Summary

Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama series that follows a new generation of students at Degrassi Community School, focusing on their experiences with a variety of issues, both serious and mundane. The show, which ran for 14 seasons, explores themes like relationships, peer pressure, bullying, homosexuality, and darker subjects such as rape, school violence, and death, often in a realistic and dramatic way that can have long-lasting consequences for the characters.The show is a successor to Degrassi Junior High, with the first season featuring original characters like Joey Jeremiah as a student's parent and Joey's on-again, off-again love interest Caitlin Ryan returning. Emma Nelson, the daughter of original characters Spike and Shane, is a central character. 

Critical Evaluation

The show is praised for tackling serious and complex topics like drug abuse, teen pregnancy, violence, suicide, and sexuality with a degree of realism not often found in other teen dramas. It uses a diverse cast to reflect the complexity of adolescent life, with many viewers finding the characters and their struggles relatable.The series is lauded for its ability to stay relevant for over a decade, partly by adapting storylines from current events and issues faced by teenagers.The use of young actors who were closer in age to their characters was noted as a key factor in the show's authentic feel and relatability. 

​

 Some critics and viewers felt the show's quality declined, particularly after the core high school cast began graduating and moving on to college storylines.Critics argue that some plotlines were not fully developed, leading to characters feeling underdeveloped, or that the show sometimes resorted to stereotypes. Some viewers have noted that finales for certain seasons were underwhelming, especially compared to the strength of the preceding episodes."Ripped from the headlines" risks: While a strength, this approach also risks storylines becoming dated or feeling less relevant in the future. 

The Director

​

​Stefan Brogren and Phil Earnshaw are two of the most prominent directors for Degrassi: The Next Generation, with Brogren also serving as a producer and directing many episodes, and Earnshaw directing episodes in later seasons. Other directors for the series include Andrew McNeill, Stefan Sciani, and many others who directed individual episodes throughout its run. 

stefan.jpeg

Viewers Annotation

While controversial, the show deals with issues in a serious but not overly explicit way

​

Genre

Teen drama, Teen romance, Coming-of-Age:

​

Film Talking idea

Compare Degrassi: The Next Generation to contemporary shows like Euphoria, exploring differences in tone, explicit content, and how they approach similar themes.

​

Challenge Issue

Identity and sexuality, bullying, peer pressure, racism, and gang violence.

Brogren, who also played the character Archie "Snake" Simpson, became a director in season 8 and directed numerous episodes throughout the series. He was nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series and won for his work on "Beat It (Part 2)". He also served as a producer for the show.

Challenge Issue Resources:

    • Collection Development Policy

    • FAQs for library employees about answering questions about youth and access to library resources

    • Contact info for ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF)

    • Active listening skills – library employees will listen and respond without judgment. They will ensure that the complainant is heard and will attempt to respond to the complaint fully. If the complainant is not satisfied, he or she will be directed to fill out and submit a Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources.

    • List of awards and reviews for the materials

    • If available, info on material from https://www.teachingbooks.net

    • Library Bill of Rights on Intellectual Freedom

    • Library Bill of Rights Interpretations (designed by Intellectual Freedom Committee)

    • Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy (JIFP) - includes substantive essays, peer-reviewed articles, book reviews, legal briefs, and opinion pieces.

    • Intellectual Freedom Manual - day-to-day guidance on maintaining free and equal access to information for all people, including:

      • 34 ALA policy statements and documents, 17 new or updated for this edition, addressing patron behavior, internet use, copyright, exhibits and use of meeting spaces

      • At-a-glance lists summarizing key issues such as access, challenges and censorship, access by minors to controversial materials, and advocacy

      • Explanations of legal points in clear, easy-to-understand language, alongside case citations

      • Numerous checklists to help readers stay organized

    • Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources

    • Guidelines for Reconsideration Committee

    • Process of the reconsideration along with timeline and how the complainant will be informed of the outcome

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
bottom of page